Q & A with Kofi Sefa-Dedeh (from our archives)

Our guest columnist is Kofi S. Sefa-Dedeh, a professor in the Food Science Department of the University of Ghana. Formerly the Country Director in Ghana for the New York-based Hunger Project, he now serves as Dean of International Programs at the University of Ghana.

Q: What kind of corn do people grow in Ghana?

A: We grow dent, flint, and a little sweet corn. The bulk of the corn will be dent corn. We do not grow yellow corn.

Q: Is cocoyam the same thing as taro?

A: Yes. However, in the common literature one can confuse the type of edible aroid, as the same aroid may be referred to with a different name in different locations. The best way of identifying the aroids is through the use of scientific/botanical names. I could send you the common English names and the scientific names if you are interested.

Q: How many kinds of African yam are there?

A: There are several. We can however refer to 4-5 major yam species. These are:

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